CARNEGIE HALL (DVD/1947/B&W) DVD

Carnegie Hall
Auteur theorists who've charted the career of "cult" director Edgar G. Ulmer have seldom mentioned Carnegie Hall, simply because it was more expensive than most of Ulmer's films and thus can't be regarded a "low-budget masterpiece." The wafer-thin plotline concerns a young immigrant woman (Marsha Hunt) who takes a job as a Carnegie Hall cleaning woman. Her love of music leads her to a better job in the Hall, and after several years she rises to the position of concert organizer. The woman uses her clout to promote her own son's career as a pianist. Carnegie Hall showcases a number of celebrated musicians. Selections include: Arthur Rubinstein performing Chopin's Polonaise in A Flat, Jascha Heifetz performing Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in G Major by Tchaikovsky, Ezio Pinza singing both the drinking song from Don Giovanni and one of the arias from Simon di Boccanegra, Lily Pons singing The Bell Song from Lakme by Delibes, and Jan Peerce singing O Sole Mio.The film also includes musical performances by Bruno Walter,Rise Stevens, Gregor Piatagorsky, Harry James, Vaughn Monroe, Leopold Stokowski, and others. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast Emile Boreo as Henry Marsha Hunt as Nora Ryan Joseph Buloff as Anton Tribik William Prince as Tony Salerno, Jr. Frank McHugh as John Donovan Walter Damrosch as Guest Artist Martha O'Driscoll as Ruth Haines Hans Yaray as Tony Salerno, Sr. Olin Downes as Himself Harold Dyrenforth as Walter Damrosch Jascha Heifetz as Guest Artist Harry James as Guest Artist Jan Peerce as Guest Artist Ezio Pinza as Guest Artist Lily Pons as Guest Artist Fritz Reiner as Guest Artist Artur Rubinstein as Guest Artist Rise Stevens as Guest Artist Leopold Stokowski as Guest Artist

Crew Olin Downes - Director Walter Damrosch - Director Edgar G. Ulmer - Director Fred R. Feitshans, Jr. - Editor Sigmund Krumgold - Composer (Music Score) Russell Bennett - Composer (Music Score) Hal Borne - Songwriter Sam Coslow - Songwriter Gregory Stone - Songwriter M. Portnoff & W. - Songwriter Frank Ryerson - Songwriter Wilton Moore - Songwriter William J. Miller - Cinematographer William Le Baron - Producer Boris Morros - Producer Seena Owen - Screen Story Karl Kamb - Screenwriter

Carnegie Hall
If you can forget the silly story that Carnegie Hall has been saddled with and just concentrate on the musical performances, chances are you will have a pretty good time. It helps, of course, if you are not averse to classical music, for the scales are heavily tilted in that direction, despite the film's "swing and classics are both good stuff" resolution. In between the performances, you have to put up with a lot of nonsense that you've seen in plenty of other pictures, stuff about a son breaking his mother's heart by playing "low" music when she's been grooming him for the heights. You also have to be willing to believe that the titular musical establishment has a very liberal attitude toward career advancement among its employees and that the biggest names in classical music are pretty much just "reg'lar fellas." But stick with it, so that you can thrill to Bruno Walter (in a lovingly shot sequence), Artur Rubinstein's incredible artistry, the unique Leopold Stokowski, Lily Pons' scintillating coloratura, and many other classical giants of the day. The jazz musicians come off less well, with neither Vaughn Monroe nor Harry James seen at his best. Of the non-musicians, Mary O'Driscoll comes off well in a nothing part, and Marsha Hunt as the thread that ties it all together is generally effective. Edgar G. Ulmer's direction is a little staid for him, although he does make good use of the environment afforded by the Hall. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: Additional Features: Digitally mastered from the original Nitrate Negative Original theatrical trailer Gallery of rare behind-the-scenes production stills Music notes by the National Film Music Council The "Piano Scene" from Edgar Ulmer's Detour DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 136 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- Full Frame Version 0. Scene Selection 1. Opening Titles: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Second Movement [1:55] 2. Rehearsal: Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto In B flat minor [12:27] 3. Opening Night: Beethoven's "Lenore" No. 2 Overture; Tchaikovsky's First Piano [6:49] 4. Dinner Party: Schumann's Quintet in e flat major, Second Movement [3:04] 5. Wedding March: Wagner's Lohengren; Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream [12:25] 6. Wagner's Prelude to Die: Meistersinger [5:42] 7. The Bell Song: Delibes's Lakmé (Lily Pons soloist) [5:53] 8. The Swan: From Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals, Gregor Piatigorsky cello [5:05] 9. Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix: From Saint-Saëns's Samson and Delilah, Second Act; [1:55] 10. Beethoven's Fifth Symphony: Fourth Movement [4:53] 11. Ritual Fire Dance: Chopin's "Polonaise," Opus 53; "Ritual Fire Dance" from DeFa [9:06] 12. Music Lessons: Chopin's Waltz, Opus 64, No. 2; "Nocturne" [5:15] 13. O Sole Mio: diCapua, Jan Peerce solo [2:55] 14. Pinza Does Giovanni: "II Lacerto Spirito" from Verdi's Simon Boccanegra (prolog [1:57] 15. The Pleasure's All Mine: Vaughn Monroe Orchestra [3:07] 16. Beware My Heart: Vaughn Monroe solo [4:29] 17. Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto: in D major, First Movement, Jascha Heifetz violin [13:45] 18. Stokowski Takes the Stand: Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony, Second Movement, Leopo [20:50] 19. "57th Street Rhapsody": ("All the World Is Mine") Harry James [7:41]